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Wednesday, 8 February 2012

#TheGallery: Family Story - Black Magic

Tara has asked us to delve into our archives to find a photograph with a story behind it today. Thought I'd make sure I dug out one with a difference today and so I present you with us preparing to launch our Wayfarer Black Magic at the Isle of Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway in the 1980s:

At the time 3 out of the 4 of us were keen amateur dinghy sailors so we had taken the boat up from Berkshire to Scotland when we went to stay at my grandparents' home at the Isle. We had visions of spending a lot of our holiday sailing around the harbour and getting some sea practice in. That week was the local regatta and we entered a few of the races - not with very much success!

Then came a day we will never forget. My dad and brother went on a longer distance race out of the harbour. My mum and I stayed on shore to observe. Gradually it got darker and darker and still no sign of Black Magic and her crew. Eventually from the land overlooking the entrance to the bay we heard them as the boat had capsized and they were struggling to get her back up and sailing. The local RNLI lifeboat was called out to rescue them.

Luckily both my dad and my brother were in one piece but Black Magic couldn't be salvaged and next morning bits of her turned up on the rocks. We drove home with an empty trailer and some spare sails and memories of a very scary few hours for us all...